Rangers to be called in if capital's official residences remain illegally occupied: CJP

Shares

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said the rangers force will be called in if Islamabad's illegally occupied official residences are not evacuated in a month's time.

As the hearing of the case went under way in the Supreme Court, the Additional Attorney General (AAG) Syed Nayyar Rizvi informed the two-member bench hearing the case that police officials had illegally occupied the 140 flats in Sector G-6 of the federal capital.

The additional attorney general further said that rent amounting to Rs350 million was yet to paid. Rizvi further announced that if received, the rent payment will be donated for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

"Both, electricity and gas supply were disconnected on the Islamabad High Court's order," the additional attorney general informed the court. "However, the Supreme Court's [evacuation] orders are yet to be implemented five years after they were issued."

The chief justice then questioned if government officers had the courage to illegally occupy official residences. "What is the fault of those who are waiting [to get official residences]?" Justice Nisar observed.

Furthermore, Secretary Housing and Works Dr Imran Zeb Khan reiterated that the police officers were illegally occupying the government flats. "We have been unable to evacuate the flats because of a shortage of manpower," Dr Khan said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jan Muhammad, who had been earlier summoned by the apex court, appeared for the case's hearing today. Addressing the capital's top police officer, the chief justice said the IGP was responsible for the implementation of the Supreme Court's order to evacuate the government residences.

"Police personnel are receiving rent amounting to Rs350 million while they illegally occupy government residences. They are also stealing electricity and gas," the chief justice said to the Islamabad IGP.

Justice Nisar further stated that the illegal occupation of the said government residences was unfair to those who were eligible, on merit, for allotment.

The top judge then ordered the housing secretary and Islamabad IGP to decide the procedure for evacuation of the government flats.

Giving a one-month deadline for the evacuation of the government residences, the bench then adjourned the hearing till August 31.